Calling All Atrians
by IAmToast24
Summary: Roman and Emery's story continues past Season 1 in this epic telling of the Atrians coming to Earth.


The scene in front of him is a mess.

What had begun as a celebratory parade has turned into a massive dead-zone. Bodies which were, just a second ago, lively and festive, now litter the street seemingly unconscious. At least, he hopes they're only knocked out. Party hats have fallen off of buzzcut heads, their absence going undetected by the small boys lining the sidewalk. A girl, who can't be more than 13, seems to have been on her way back from buying some cotton candy, the cone lying with her on the ground, her hand still clutching it with delight. Children and adults alike are scraped and bruised from a fall for which they had no way to prepare themselves.

That's the first thing Roman notices, but his eyes only linger for a moment on the destruction before his attention shifts to the body lying on the ground near him. He is horrified to see that she looks just as lifeless as the rest of them.

"Emery!" he calls, running towards her. Her face is so serene, so beautiful, as if she's sleeping. He says her name again, drawing her into his arms, but he knows no amount of shouting or pleading can undo the horrors of the Trags.

"Emery, please wake up," he begs anyway, desperate to revive her. Running his hand across her cheek and through her hair, Roman remembers the pain of having to let her go, of seeing her with Grayson. He had thought, back then, that there was nothing worse than living in a world in which he could not be with her. He realizes now that he was wrong. A world with Emery Whitehill in it is infinitely better than a world without her, even if he could never be with her again.

"Grayson!" Roman hears Drake yell. Right next to where Emery lies, Drake rolls Grayson over, revealing a bleeding bullet wound inflicted by the now dead Zoe. "Grayson, come on." Drake takes off his jacket and presses it to Grayson's body. That's when the Suvek begins to emit a radiant blue beam of light.

"That's not a bomb," Roman realizes, trying to shield his eyes from the light. "It's a signal."

"To who?" Drake asks. But Roman doesn't know. He just shakes his head and turns his focus back to Emery. With the shock of the situation beginning to wear off, his mind becomes clearer and he feels around for a pulse. When he finds a faint one, Roman breaths a sigh of deep relief.

"She's alive," he declares. "I think everyone else should be, too." He looks up at Drake who returns his relief with concern.

"Grayson won't be for long if we don't get him help," Drake says.

"Okay, we'll take him to the hospital," Roman decides.

"We can't."

"Why not?" Roman questions, rising to his feet with Emery in his arms.

"They'll think we had something to do with it," Drake answers. "How do you think this is gonna look? How are we going to explain this?"

"We'll tell them the truth," Roman says, making his way over to the elevator. Drake follows him with Grayson and they go down.

With a short, bitter laugh, Drake responds with, "Yeah, as if they'll believe us Tatties." Once they reach the first floor, each of them lies their passengers down on the empty tables in the space. Roman quickly checks on Julia and Eric for Emery. They seem fine. He watches as Drake lifts Grayson's shirt and looks at the wound.

"What else can we do? He'll die of we don't get him medical attention soon," Roman points out. Drake lets out a frustrated grunt, his face contorted in pain.

"I don't know, man. All I can think about is Taylor." He begins pacing hectically. "What if she didn't make it out in time? What if she got hurt, or if the baby-" Drake cuts himself off, unable to finish the depressing situations his mind has come up with.

"You can't think like that, Drake" Roman responds.

"How can I not?!" he practically screams, his voice breaking in a way Roman has never heard before. There is a moment of strained silence in which Roman reflects on all the years he's been friends with Drake. Not once has he been broken like this before, not even when he lost his mother.

"Roman," a small voice mumbles, breaking the tension. His breath catches at the sound and his head turns immediately toward her. Without hesitation, Roman bolts over to Emery, whispering her name in relief. He gathers her up in his arms and buries his face in her neck while she squeezes him tightly.

"You're okay," he tells her, reassuring himself more than anyone. After a moment, she pulls back and looks around, an inquisitive look in her eyes.

"Wha-" she begins to say before her eyes land on the bloody boy lying on the table next to Drake. "Grayson." Shakily, she hops off of the table and stumbles over to his side. "No." Roman watches as she takes hold of his hand and caresses his cheek. Pain paints her countenance, tenderness clouding her eyes.

"We can't take him to the hospital," Roman tells her. "Drake and I." She doesn't even hesitate or ask why. Her eyes don't even drift from Grayson.

She just simply announces, "I'll take him." Finally, she glances at Drake and Roman. "Just help me get him into the car." Roman searches Drake's eyes for confirmation before nodding to Emery. Drake grabs one side while Roman grabs the other. They follow Emery out the back door and through the mass of unconscious people. Roman watches as Emery checks the pulse of an elderly sighs in relief a moment later, standing back up and continuing to the car. When they get there, they put Grayson in Emery's backseat.

"I'm coming with you," Drake says suddenly, closing the door on his side. "I have to find Taylor and make sure she's alright." At this, Emery nods. Roman closes the door as Drake gets in. Once Drake's inside the car, Roman pulls Emery close and brushes her hair back. Her eyes melt as he gives her a quick kiss.

"Be careful," he tells her. She rubs her thumb over his jaw sweetly, giving him that look she always does when they're together. The one that makes him believe that anything is possible.

"I will," she vows, kissing him on the cheek before climbing into the car and driving away.

"I love you," Roman admits, his confession carried away by the wind.


End file.
